In a country that honors the private vehicle and its wealth from oil and gas, in a twist of opposite expectations Qatar says it plans on making all public transportation electric by 2030. Qatar’s Ministry of Transport (MoT) has boasted a significant milestone: 70% of public buses are now electric, with an ambitious goal of a fully electric fleet by 2030. Qatar also wants 35% of all cars to be electric cars in this same time frame.
According to Arabian Gulf Business Insight, electric vehicle sales could make up 20 percent of the total auto market in Qatar by 2032, experts forecast, as the Gulf state launches its first EV brand.
Doha and the rest of Qatar are dominated by cars. Get a job offer in Qatar (if you aren’t from Pakistan, India or Sudan in construction) and you will get a car, and a house as a part of the deal. Everybody drives in Qatar where the private vehicle reigns, and while public transport technically “exists” in the form of buses and a brand new Doha Metro system, taxis are still the easiest way of getting around if you have cash. Much of the time it is too hot outside to walk far.
Read Also: This EV factory is built out of the oil industry
So still in a dream stage his eco-friendly shift promises a significant impact: cleaner air, reduced energy consumption, and a smaller carbon footprint.
The environmental benefits are substantial but only when the electric power itself is derived from clean and renewable energy sources.
Electric buses produce zero tailpipe emissions, drastically reducing air pollution in urban centers heavily reliant on public transport.
Additionally, the switch from fossil fuels to electricity translates to lower energy consumption and a reduced national carbon footprint, aligning with Qatar’s commitment to combating climate change. MoT’s Director of Land Transport Licensing, Hamad Ali Al Marri, emphasized these benefits during a recent ceremony.
He pointed to the creation of an integrated infrastructure – likely a network of strategically placed charging stations – to support the electric bus operation.
This electrification initiative coincides with the launch of “Environmental Sustainability in Qatar: Achievements and Challenges.”
Read Also: Saudi Arabia’s electric vehicle market
Qatar-based Ecotranzit showcased the first prototypes of its Vim-branded electric vehicle in 2023. They are manufactured under its exclusive intellectual property rights deal with partners including China-based Beijing Automotive Works. The company plans to design and build its own electric cars in the future and has started to invest in assembly plants and preliminary production lines, according to Qatar News Agency.
The Qatari Gulf state ranks behind the UAE and Saudi Arabia in electric vehicle production, where multi-billion dollar investments have been made to set up factories and attract big-name players such as Lucid.
